Fall is on its way, and many homeowners are anticipating the winter with a little less than enthusiasm. Particularly in the case of older homes, windows are one of the main concerns that people have regarding their home’s safety, comfort, and energy efficiency as temperatures drop. Old windows, aside from being ugly and hard to clean, can cost you a great deal of money in the long run in terms of cooling—and particularly heating—costs. Because many people wait until spring or summer to do home renovations, you may feel like you’ve missed your chance this year. On the contrary, fall is an ideal time to have your windows replaced. Don’t believe us? Here are just a few of the big reasons why:
Energy Efficiency
For most people, winter is the costliest part of the year in terms of heating bills. This is especially true for those with large houses, and most of all for those with older homes that have not had any serious remodeling or renovations done. Old windows are built using models and materials that are less effective in trapping warm air in and cold air out. Furthermore, many old windows have damage or decay that has reduced the already insufficient ability to seal in air. Over the course of a winter, heating can cost you thousands of dollars. However, you do not have to suffer through another expensive and drafty winter. There is still plenty of time this fall to get your home ready to meet the energy efficiency demands that winter will put on it.
Ideal Weather
Conventionally, home repairs and renovations are done in the spring and summer. However, in the case of window repairs, the heat of summer is not necessarily the best environment. Window replacement can be a somewhat lengthy process, and extreme heat and humidity make leaving large holes in your walls an uncomfortable experience. Fall time weather, on the other hand, is generally more mild and temperate, making the replacement of windows a much more positive experience for the homeowner.
Additionally, fall weather is ideal for this kind of renovation because caulk, a necessary sealant, sets most effectively in relatively moderate temperatures, between 40-80 degrees. Fall is an ideal time because weather rarely gets too cold or too hot for caulk to set properly, ensuring that your windows are tightly sealed and ready for winter.
Holiday Readiness
The holidays are everyone’s favorite time to decorate the house. Unfortunately, old windows can hinder decoration because they are often difficult to open, close, and clean. Built up gunk, dirt and detritus might make beautiful holiday displays difficult to set up, see, and enjoy. Take this one thing off of your plate in advance and get your home’s windows looking spick and span well ahead of the visits from family and friends.
Greater Availability
One side effect of the springtime rush to do renovations is that many window, door, siding, painting, and other home renovation specialists are overbooked, making it difficult to set up an appointment that works with your schedule. As summer winds down and fall begins, however, many companies specializing in home renovation see their schedules freed up. This is convenient not only for the workers, who have more time and energy to invest in making sure the job gets done right, but also for homeowners, who may be better able to work out a time for renovations that is less inconvenient. Ultimately, autumn renovations are a win-win.
Quicker Turnaround
Another positive side effect of greater availability and freer fall time schedules is the possibility of a much faster turnaround time. No one likes the inconvenience of having their house worked on for days at a time, and fall is a great season to get through window replacement with speed and ease. This is good news for anyone who was hesitating to do last minute replacements before the winter because they were concerned about the potential inconvenience. In reality, fall is possibly the most convenient time of the year for this kind of project.
More Deals
Last but not least, let’s address the big issue on everyone’s minds: money. How much will it cost to get windows replaced in the fall? Actually, fall is one of the least expensive times to do home repairs. Once again, because fall is a low season for this type of job, many companies offer fall time deals, discounts or price reductions to encourage people to get new windows. For big projects, long term financing is less of an issue because deals likely include low or no interest options. Just remember to trust your window replacement to a brand that is known for fair dealing, affordable prices, and the highest quality products.